One Week (film)
Encyclopedia
One Week is a 1920
short comedy film starring comedian Buster Keaton
, the first film to be released made by Keaton on his own; Keaton had worked with Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle
for a number of years. The film was written and directed by Keaton and Edward F. Cline
, and runs for 19 minutes. Sybil Seely
co-stars. The High Sign
had been filmed prior to One Week, but Keaton considered it an inferior effort to debut with, and released it the following year.
Guitarist Bill Frisell
released a soundtrack to the movie in 1995 on his album The High Sign/One Week
.
In 2008, One Week was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry
by the Library of Congress
as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
The New York Times movie review said, "One Week, a Buster Keaton work, has more fun in it than most slap-stick, trick-property comedies."
1920 in film
The year 1920 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* November 27 - The Mark of Zorro, starring Douglas Fairbanks opens.-Top grossing films :-Films released in 1920:U.S.A. unless stated*The $1,000,000 Reward...
short comedy film starring comedian Buster Keaton
Buster Keaton
Joseph Frank "Buster" Keaton was an American comic actor, filmmaker, producer and writer. He was best known for his silent films, in which his trademark was physical comedy with a consistently stoic, deadpan expression, earning him the nickname "The Great Stone Face".Keaton was recognized as the...
, the first film to be released made by Keaton on his own; Keaton had worked with Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle
Fatty Arbuckle
Roscoe Conkling "Fatty" Arbuckle was an American silent film actor, comedian, director, and screenwriter. Starting at the Selig Polyscope Company he eventually moved to Keystone Studios where he worked with Mabel Normand and Harold Lloyd...
for a number of years. The film was written and directed by Keaton and Edward F. Cline
Edward F. Cline
Edward Francis Cline was a screenwriter, actor, writer and director. He was born in Kenosha, Wisconsin and died in Hollywood.-Career:...
, and runs for 19 minutes. Sybil Seely
Sybil Seely
Sybil Seely was a silent film actress who worked with the well known silent film comedy actor Buster Keaton. She was credited in most of her films as Sibye Trevilla....
co-stars. The High Sign
The High Sign
The High Sign is a 1921 short comedy film starring comedian Buster Keaton. It was written and directed by Keaton and Edward F. Cline. The runtime is 21 minutes. Although One Week was the first of Keaton's independent shorts to be released, The High Sign was the first one to be produced. ...
had been filmed prior to One Week, but Keaton considered it an inferior effort to debut with, and released it the following year.
Guitarist Bill Frisell
Bill Frisell
William Richard "Bill" Frisell is an American guitarist and composer.One of the leading guitarists in jazz since the late 1980s, Frisell's eclectic music touches on progressive folk, classical music, country music, noise and more...
released a soundtrack to the movie in 1995 on his album The High Sign/One Week
The High Sign/One Week
The High Sign/One Week: Music for the Films of Buster Keaton is the seventh album by Bill Frisell to be released on the Elektra Nonesuch label. It was released in 1995 and features performances by Frisell, Kermit Driscoll and Joey Baron...
.
In 2008, One Week was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry
National Film Registry
The National Film Registry is the United States National Film Preservation Board's selection of films for preservation in the Library of Congress. The Board, established by the National Film Preservation Act of 1988, was reauthorized by acts of Congress in 1992, 1996, 2005, and again in October 2008...
by the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
Plot
The story involves two newlyweds, Keaton and Seely, who receive a build-it-yourself house as a wedding gift. The house can be built, supposedly, in "one week". A rejected suitor secretly re-numbers packing crates. The movie recounts Keaton's struggle to assemble the house according to this new "arrangement". The end result is depicted in the picture. As if this weren't enough, Keaton finds he has built his house on the wrong site and has to move it. The movie reaches its tense climax when the house becomes stuck on railroad tracks. Keaton and Seely try to move it out the way of an oncoming train, which eventually passes on the neighboring track. As the couple look relived, the house is immediately struck and demolished by another train coming the other way. Keaton stares at the scene, places a 'For Sale' sign with the heap (attaching the building instructions) and walks off with Seely.The New York Times movie review said, "One Week, a Buster Keaton work, has more fun in it than most slap-stick, trick-property comedies."
Cast
- Buster KeatonBuster KeatonJoseph Frank "Buster" Keaton was an American comic actor, filmmaker, producer and writer. He was best known for his silent films, in which his trademark was physical comedy with a consistently stoic, deadpan expression, earning him the nickname "The Great Stone Face".Keaton was recognized as the...
as the groom - Sybil SeelySybil SeelySybil Seely was a silent film actress who worked with the well known silent film comedy actor Buster Keaton. She was credited in most of her films as Sibye Trevilla....
as the bride - Joe RobertsJoe RobertsJoe Roberts was an American comic actor, most notably in Buster Keaton's silent short films of the 1920s....
as piano mover
Miscellany
- Many special effects, such as the house spinning around during a storm and the train collision, were filmed as they occurred and were not model work.
- The mischievous rival is an unknown actor. Joe RobertsJoe RobertsJoe Roberts was an American comic actor, most notably in Buster Keaton's silent short films of the 1920s....
has a brief bit as a strong-man piano mover. - Sybil SeelySybil SeelySybil Seely was a silent film actress who worked with the well known silent film comedy actor Buster Keaton. She was credited in most of her films as Sibye Trevilla....
was 18 years old when she made this movie. She starred in 18 movies, the last one in 1922. She died in 1984.
External links
- Free download on the Internet ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...